How to Get the Most Value from Your Next Conference

Bridge the gap between the inspiration of a conference and action back at work

By Ed Bernacki – The Idea Factory

“I had not thought about how I make notes since about Grade 5 when a teacher said, ‘summarize everything I say!’. No wonder I made notes that I never looked at again? I did not realize how much I didn’t know about being an effective participant at conferences” Business executive after reading this book

Do you go to conferences, take notes and never look at them again?
Think about the last conference you attended. Assess your style of participation. How effective were you? Did you:

Make notes, but never looked at them again?
Collect business cards from people that you can’t remember?
Sit through a key note speech that seemed too dull to listen to?
Attend a workshop that was not what you expected?
Put your conference materials on a shelf or in a folder and ignore them?
Have nothing to ask after a workshop?
Find a great idea and did nothing with it?
Spend most of your time with people you know?
Eat and drink more than usual?
Sleep and exercise less than usual?
Leave feeling excited about what you learned, but it was business as usual within a week?